【East Hokkaido】Japan’s best kept secret – Natural wonders (Winter)

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Japan is like a piece of magnet – not only because of its tremendous attractions to visitors, but also because of its miraculous coexistence between many binary oppositions just like the positive and negative electric charge of a magnet. This beguiling nature lures thousands of tourists swamping to Japan to explore the many faces of this countries. If metropolises such as Tokyo or Osaka show how highly developed the Japanese civilization is, Hokkaido is without doubt the rawest, untouched appearance of Japan which most Japanese have yet stepped on this land.

Beyond Sapporo and Niseko
Hokkaido is the southernmost point in the northern hemisphere to see drift ice. Facing the Okhotsk Sea, East Hokkaido is the place where you will see drift ice blankets the sapphire blue sea into white from late January to March. The white blanket stretches from the shore to the horizon, and blurs the boundary between the land and the sea while blending the sea into the sky. Overlooking the whiteness, you will stand there speechless watching the ice drifting slowly across the water while having your soul touched by the sense of purity and serenity offered by Mother Nature.

Why only Finland? You can also see drift ice in East Hokkaido
With Luxe Travel’s arrangement, drift ice viewing is a breeze because Luxe Travel Insiders need not to worry about getting there, preparing bulky safety equipment or ticketing. In fact, there are multiple ways to catch a glimpse of drift ice. You can choose to view drift ice warm and safely by taking the newly launched seasonal “Ryuhyo Monogatari Train”, which run mostly along the shoreline from Abashiri through Shiretoko to Shari during February to March. Or ride on a hot air balloon to have a bird-eye view of the wonderland of whiteness from 4000 feet and overlook mountain range of Shiretoko, a world heritage site, on a sunny day. The closest touch with drift ice is, well literally, to swim with it. An icebreaker cruise can carry you to the middle of the sea, and drop you there in protective coat which allows you to dip into the freezing cold water.

Not just the sea, the winter wonders of Hokkaido can also be found on frozen lake
Have you ever heard of flowers blooming on a frozen lake? No kidding, we are talking about frost flowers here in Lake Akan. Fleeting and fabulous, the frost flower phenomenon can only be observed when specific conditions are met. It may take a bit of luck and persistence to catch the blooming scene, but the ephemeral beauty is definitely worthy of your patience.
When summer haze is back to Hokkaido, life will be revived and revitalizes this fairyland with vim and vigour. Follow us and keep track of our updates for natural wonders in summer, or just call our Travel Specialist to arrange a trip if you can’t wait!